Mount Cube | Maine Wanderlust

When I woke up with the birds at Trapper John Shelter, I made coffee and breakfast and started a fire in the stone chimney in front of the shelter. It was a quick hike down to Dartmouth Skiway where I met Jeff and we shuffled our cars, so we’d have one at the parking area for the end of the day. There were a lot of people out at Smarts Mountain, a New Hampshire 200 Highest, but the trail beyond the summit had not been broken out. I was feeling wet and cold at that point from pushing through the snowy trees, so there was a moment of doubt about continuing. But we pushed on, and the fast hike/jog down J Trail on the northern face of Smarts Mountain was one of my favorite parts of the day. After climbing Mount Cube, another NH200, with its nice views and unique quartz summit, we finished at my car at Gilman’s Corner. This and the previous day’s hike completed a nice 30+ miles section of the New Hampshire Appalachian Trail for me.

ROUTE

Started at Trapper John Shelter
Hiked up Trapper John Shelter Spur to intersection with Holts Ledge Trail
Left on Holts Ledge Trail to Dorchester Road
Right on Dorchester Road to Dartmouth Skiway Parking
Moved my vehicle from Dartmouth Lot A parking to Gilman’s Corner parking
Left on Dorchester Road to Lambert Ridge Trail
Right on Lambert Ridge Trail to summit of Smarts Mountain
Straight on J Trail to Kodak Trail
Straight on Kodak Trail to summit of Mount Cube
Right on Mount Cube Trail to car at Gilman’s Corner

PHOTOS

STATS

Date: 18 April 2021
Distance: 16.4 miles
Moving Time: 06:47:37
Pace: 24:48/mile
Elevation Gain: 5256′

Tracing White Mountains Trails:
Holts Ledge Trail
Lambert Ridge Trail
J Trail
Kodak Trail

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TRIP REPORT

After a quick hike up Mount Major for a sunrise that never really showed its face, I headed to Orford, New Hampshire to meet a couple friends and hike Mount Cube. I thought that Mount Cube would have a square shape to it, but in fact its name is a local corruption of Mount Cuba. As legend has it, the mountain was named after a dog that fought a bear on its summit.

I first caught sight of the mountain as I drove around Lower Baker Pond on Route 25A, its rocky north summit stood high above the water. I passed by our starting point, the roadside parking for the Appalachian Trail and hooked around the northern side of the mountain. I was meeting my friends on the dirt Baker Road on the west side of the mountain at the Cross Rivendell Trail head, where we would be completing our hike.

They arrived soon after I go there and we headed back to the Appalachian Trail in my friend’s truck. We got to the start of our hike at 9:15 am. There were two other cars parked off the road and the weather was in the 40s and overcast. We started up the trail following a couple with a dog, and we were followed by a guy and his dog. We soon lost the trail and we all convened in a clearing slightly befuddled. In short time we discovered that we were on a logging road, not the Appalachain Trail. We headed back out to the road and found the trail on the western end of the parking area. It was signed and pretty obvious once we looked for it.

Maine Wanderlust

Tag Archives: Mount Cube

Hike: AT Trapper John to Gilman’s Corner